NBC Joins White House 'PR Offensive' to Scare People About Sequester Cuts

Acting like an extension of the White House press office on Monday's NBC Today, correspondent Peter Alexander promoted Obama administration talking points on the upcoming budget sequester: "This morning, the White House is picking up the pace of its PR offensive, they are rolling out reports for each of the country's states and how they will be affected by these automatic budget cuts." [Listen to the audio]

Alexander listed the "dire warnings" coming from the executive branch:
"In California, 9,600 low-income students could lose their college
financial aid. In Florida, nearly $4 million could be slashed to
provide meals for needy seniors. And in Texas, nearly 10,000 fewer
children will receive vaccines for diseases like whooping cough and the
flu."

On Sunday's NBC Nightly News, Alexander touted White House
efforts to "add to the urgency" of the cuts by sending out cabinet
secretaries to fearmonger on behalf of the President on the Sunday
morning talk shows. Following sound bites of Education Secretary Arnie
Duncan and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, Alexander noted: "$85
billion [in cuts] overall, that administration officials warned could
cripple air travel, force firefighter layoffs, even kick preschoolers
out of child care."

Unlike his Today report devoid of Republican criticism of the
President, Alexander did mention the opposition during his Nightly News
segment: "Many Republicans place the blame on the White House....many
are questioning how bad the cuts will be. Accusing the President of
exaggerating the consequences."

Sound bites included Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Arizona
Senator John McCain calling on Obama to lead on budget negotiations.
Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn denounced White House hype about the modest
spending cuts: "To not cut 2.5 percent out of the total budget over a
year when it's twice the size it was 10 years ago. Give me a break."

By Monday morning, there apparently wasn't any room for perspectives
that might upset the narrative of Obama's latest "PR offensive."

Here is a full transcript of Alexander's February 25 Today report:

7:12AM ET

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: And now to Washington, where those sweeping
automatic budget cuts are set to take effect in just four days unless
lawmakers reach a deal. NBC's White House correspondent Peter Alexander
takes a look at how it will affect everything from air travel to the
food we eat. Peter, good morning to you.

PETER ALEXANDER: Yeah, Savannah, that's all true. This morning, the
White House is picking up the pace of its PR offensive, they are rolling
out reports for each of the country's states and how they will be
affected by these automatic budget cuts. A little bit later today the
President is going to speak to the governors, who are here in Washington
for their winter meetings. Republicans also don't like these cuts, but
they accuse the President of failing to lead, and ultimately, it's you
who could be affected.

At this shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, 1,600 letters warning of
possible pink slips are already in the mail, while workers wait for
Washington to act.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: You know, if they take this away, a lot of people are going to be hurt.

ALEXANDER: Still with the clock ticking down, no signs of progress,
but plenty of dire warnings from the administration about the potential
impact of the so-called sequester. Fewer FBI agents on the job. Kids
kicked out of child care programs. Even meat shortages that could jack
up prices, with fewer inspectors working.

DEAN DEWIG [OWNER, DEWIG MEATS]: If we don't have inspection, we're
not going to be working, so I don't need the employees here.

ALEXANDER: Air travel could be crippled, fewer TSA agents would mean
longer security lines. Fewer air traffic controllers, meaning more time
on the tarmac.

States wild be hard hit, too, the White House releasing these new
figures overnight. In California, 9,600 low-income students could lose
their college financial aid. In Florida, nearly $4 million could be
slashed to provide meals for needy seniors. And in Texas, nearly 10,000
fewer children will receive vaccines for diseases like whooping cough
and the flu. Just in time for spring, national parks, like Yosemite,
will see their services cut. The Pentagon is planning to force more than
700,000 civilian Defense Department workers to take one day off a week,
a 20% pay cut. Near Quantico Marine Base in northern Virginia, the
anticipation is already breeding anxiety.

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: People are hunkered down, they are really afraid to spend any kind of money.

ALEXANDER: So there is bipartisan agreement for one thing, both sides
seem to agree that these cuts will go into effect at the end of this
week. There's also at least some good news, most of the layoffs and
furloughs, Savannah, won't actually take place until a month from now.

GUTHRIE: Well, maybe they will sort it out at some point. Peter Alexander at the White House, thank you very much.

-- Kyle Drennen is a news analyst at the Media Research Center. Click here to follow Kyle Drennen on Twitter.

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